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Monday, January 17, 2022

Warming by the Fire

Hey friends,

This has been one long, dark, gloomy, messy, day. We've had it all today, snow, sleet, freezing rain, and high winds. It ain't fitten fer man nor beast.

Around lunch time, tired of walking from window to window, feeling cold amd miserable, I marched out to the back porch, gathered an armload of wood and started a fire in the fireplace...



Oh my gosh, the popping and crackling of the fire immediately lifted my spirits and warmed my heart. Kept me busy at first bringing in firewood but once there were lots of hot coals the big logs burned long and steady...


and of course, put everybody in the house to sleep...



Poppy brought in his share of firewood too before giving in to the warmth of the fire...


Ellie stole my end of the couch but that's okay. I could watch the fire better from the other end...


Eli snuggled down in his chair.

Now I'm not much for watching movies but seeing as how the lure of the fire kept me bound in the living room, I found myself interested in an old black and white Western from the early 1950s; Westward The Women. I watched the entire movie, getting up only to throw another log on the fire. It was good!

Gunsmoke with Matt Dillon is my favorite Western, followed by The Riffleman, and I love Death Valley Days; stories told by the Old Ranger. Remember 20 Mule Team Borax? I like Wagon Train too. Guess you can tell we pay for the Western Channels. I don't sit and watch them all but can't help but hear them as the TV stays on when Poppy is home.

Well, I didn't finish this post yesterday and here it is near the close of another day. Sure appreciate your stopping by. 

Love,
Henny


53 comments:

  1. I showed your post to my hubby and we laughed. The fireplace always put us to sleep too! The sounds...and warmth is perfect for napping! Enjoy your week! Stay warm and rested! heehee!

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  2. I am afraid I would stay glued to the TV if I had a western channel. I don't think there is a one I don't like. Just maybe some more than others.

    I would love to have a fireplace to sit and watch. Nothing like watching a fire in my book.

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  3. Matt Dillon, the teen star from the 80's? Going to have to look that up.

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    Replies
    1. Ack...definitely not! 😂

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    2. I think Matt Dillon from Gunsmokes real name was James Arness. I think. Definitely not the same Matt Dillon from the 80's! :-)

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    3. Thank you Betsy! I didn't know there was but one Matt Dillon...the one from Gunsmoke. :) I should have put James Arness.

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  4. Sounds like our kind of day ~ a crackling warm fire and old black and white westerns. A nap is always good too!

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  5. I'm glad to hear that you're managing to get some enjoyment out of the storm. I love my fireplace, too, but I've decided that I like a gas fire better that a wood fire because there's no mess to clean up. I do miss the wonderful smell of wood burning, but as I've gotten older, things that make my life easier become more and more appealing. Our house has a gas fireplace on a thermostat which the previous owners put in. I LOVE it. It burns when needed and goes off when not needed. I turn it off at night so it doesn't run while we're in bed, but it warms up the room quickly in the morning and keeps it that way all day. We're supposed to have two days with morning temperature of about 9, so I'll really appreciate it then. The room where it is was added behind the garage and it gets very little of the air from the furnace, so we need another heat source. We got lucky, with only about 2 inches of snow, but my heart goes out to those who got buried in it. Enjoy your leisure while you can; you'll be hard at work again soon.

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    1. Hey Peg. Oh, I would love to have the fireplace you have. A real wood burning fireplace is a lot of work. I love the fire but now the ashes need to be cleaned out and carried away and there was trash and wood chips and bark strewn from the porch through the living romm to the fireplace. We have a gas pack that keeps the house nice and warm but snow and ice make me cold...just the thoughts of it all. :) Thank you for visiting.

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  6. All those westerns sounds great and I love the pics of your blazing fireplace and all the sleepy heads in your house! Hope your weather turns nice again soon, dear Henny!

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    1. Thank you Diane. A fire sure puts you to sleep. :)

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  7. Good idea to have a fire on a miserable day.

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  8. What a soothing and comfy post. I wish I could curl up and cuddle with one of your big fur babies. Do they like to cuddle. I remember snuggling with our St. Bernard when I was a little girl. He was the BEST snuggler!
    Dennis's dad, my father-in-law looked a LOT like the Rifleman. Every time I see that show, my breath catches a bit because they look so much alike.
    Stay warm and enjoy that fire!
    BLessings,
    Betsy

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    1. Hey Betsy. Eli likes to cuddle more than Ellie. She is still such a puppy and can't be still long enough to cuddle. You must have loved having a St. Bernard when you were little. I used to want one when I was young. That's so neat that your father-in-law looked like The Riffleman...he was a handsome man!

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  9. The last couple of mornings has been cold,
    and very frosty, so l have'nt bothered to
    go out! No rain, thankfully, just cold,
    and that's the forecast right over the
    weekend..! So! Won't bother me to much! :)

    The cold does'nt bother me either, though
    l've always wanted an open fire, had to put
    up with the gas central heating..! It's o.k.
    but l seldom use it, except to heat the water!

    I used to watch the TV series of The Rifleman,
    with Chuck Conners, back in 58~63..I always
    prefer the old B/W films..Alan Ladd, James
    Stewart, Audie Murphy..And.. definitely 'NOT'
    John Wayne..! :(.
    But! I'm not a great fan of westerns..Though
    l like the Dollar films,

    Well..I think l'll pop off and make a mug of
    lemon tea with honey and go...'Paint My Wagon'
    HeHe! Bless! :O)
    "I was born under a wandering star"..!
    🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸

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    1. Thank you Willie. We have a gas pack that heats and cools the house too. There is just something special about a fireplace. :) Yep, I love the old black and white films best too...just like music today can't compare to the old music. Are the Dollar films the Clint Eastwood movies...Oh I do not like the John Wayne movies either...he seems a little too pushy for me. James Stewart was one of my favorites.

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    2. Yes! The Dollar films as l call them,
      with Clint Eastwood..Don't think he's
      ever made a bad movie..and to think
      he's 91 now..! And! Still going,
      amazing really taking into account the
      number of times he's been shot at..HeHe! :).

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  10. Hi Henny,
    I saw you at Hiawatha House, saying you would like to change the look of your blog so I came to see how it looks. It matches your house!
    I love those bonnets, you're a fine craftswoman. Do you quilt, too?

    Those doggos are just glorious! I bet they take some grooming.


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    1. Oh, thank you Kylie. Guess my blog does match our house, its just had the same look since 2013. :)

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  11. That looks lovely! A wonderful way to spend a cold winter day.

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  12. Oh my that fire looks so toasty warm. It certainly has been a very bad snow storm. Finally after two months of winter we did get 7in of snow up here. Until now it's just been frigid with frozen ground and no snow. I'm with you on the westerns, I do love the old shows. And I have to say I still use borax when I do laundry but do you know they've taken the 20 Mule picture off of the box? Oh my goodness that's just wrong. Stay toasty warm. Lynn and Precious

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  13. QUE HERMOSA CHIMENEA HENNY, ES TAN CONFORTANTE ESE FUEGO EN LOS DIAS DE MUCHO FRIO, ERES MUY AFORTUNADA. AQUI ESTAMOS TENIENDO UNA OLA DE CALOR INSOPORTABLE, HEMOS TENIDO HASTA 45 CENTIGRADOS CELSIUS, UNA LOCURA, UN HORNO BUENOS AIRES, ENVIDIO A LOS DEL PAIS DEL NORTE JAJAJA. EL CLIMA ESTA CAMBIANDO Y MUCHO, ¿NO CREES? NUNCA TUVIMOS SEMEJANTES TEMPERATURAS, ¿TENDRA ALGO QUE VER EL CALENTAMIENTO GLOBAL?.......... LUEVO VINO ALGO DE LLUVIA Y AHORA TENEMOS 22 C, DE LOCOS¡¡¡¡¡¡ GRACIAS A DIOS P0R ESTOS DIAS FRESCOS, AUNQUE ESTAMOS EN VERANO Y EL CALOR VOLVERA HUMMMMM SALUDOS Y TU CABAÑA SE VE MUY ACOGEDORA.

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    1. Thank you for the nice comment. I just figured out how to translate your comment to English. Hard to imagine it being hot in other parts when it is so cold here. Take care!

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  14. I love a fire! I am always enchanted with Eli sleeping in his chair, just the biggest sweetest dog ever! He is certainly a gentle giant! Take care of yourselves during these snowy days, spring will be here soon! Love Terry

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    1. Hey Terry. Eli really is the biggest sweetest dog ever. We talk about it a lot. He is very unusual. It's like owning a live giant teddybear. :)

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  15. When I lived in our old house, I had a fire going every day of life once winter set in. My birthday present was always a cord of well-seasoned wood. lol. Now I have a gas fireplace and use it daily but I do miss the snap, crackle, pop of a real fire. Hugs- Diana

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  16. What a beautiful, cozy fireplace!! You're right -- you need something to do when the storm is raging outside, and being cooped up is no fun. Building a fire is so satisfying :) And that weather is perfect for snoooooozzing. We never did get the ice or snow here, just buckets of rain.

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  17. Perfect day for a fire! And there is nothing like it for relaxing. We had 14 hours of rain and wind and gloom, too. Better than ice and snow though.

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  18. There is always something so comforting about a fire & I could sit & watch it all day long dear Henny. It is Oh so hot here at present ... the grass is brown & crisp & the poor gardens are much the same. I spend days indoors by the fan or the air conditioner - the only time its bearable outside is early mornings when I go to water some things. xx

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  19. I love our fireplace too... there is something about a nice fire on a cold day or night. We changed our real log fireplace to gas a few years ago. It's nice to not have to clean it, but one does miss the sound of the crackling logs and the smell of the wood burning. We love our Aga too as it keeps our kitchen so nice and warm in winter... and since it stays on all the time, I never have to pre-heat anything. Your pictures of both the fireplace and sleepers are great!

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  20. Your home is so warm and cozy. We live in a log house, too, that was once heated by two woodstoves. I miss them terribly, as there was more than enough heat, and there was the crackle of wood popping and burning, too. We got too old to do it anymore. My husband always cut and split his own wood, wouldn't think of buying it that way, so he installed an oil furnace. It's not the same by any means!!!
    Westward the Women!! Oh my gosh, I remember it well. That was in the says when I walked my two younger brothers into town to the movies (they wouldn't walk beside me, so I was either in front or behind them.) I love Denise Darcel, I loved the whole story, but especially the part when the Chinese man sat under a wagon and entertained with a pleated paper, holding it as a bow tie with a man's voice, saying "you must pay the rent," and a hair bow as a woman's voice, saying "I can't pay the rent!" We imitated that for
    years. We have a his and hers TV, mine's in the living room, husband's is in the man cave in the basement. Sometimes I sit down there with him watching reruns of Gunsmoke and the others. Lately I've wasted hours during this Pennsylvania freezing spell, watching old movies on the Turner Classic Movies channel. It's that time of the winter when folks can take a break between Christmas and Easter, and it's a very welcome thing. Enjoy your fire, and your sweet white teddy bears - and may your shoulder pain disappear for good!! God be with you dear Henny Penny!♥♥♥

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  21. Sorry about the typos! And the rest of the conversation, after the "woman" said she couldn't pay the rent a couple of times, there was another male voice saying, "I'll pay the rent!" and the woman's voice saying, "My Hero!!!"

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    1. Oh I Ruth, I didn't seen any typos. I enjoyed your comment so much. In the early 1950s my brother and I walked to town every Saturday to see (mostly) Roy Rogers movies. For a quarter we could sit in the theater all day and that quarter would buy us popcorn and a drink too. During the movie Westward the Women, I worried that something would happen to that little dog, especially when the Chinese guy tied him underneath the wagon. It was a good movie. Thank you Ruth. I sure need my shoulder to get well. I can't sleep at night and staying awake is killing me.

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  22. That sounds like the perfect way to spend a cold Wintery day. The fire was a great idea. Years ago I tried my hand at making a fire in our fireplace; unfortunately I had no idea that I had to open the damper before starting it. Sure did fill the house with smoke. Luckily no one called the fire dept. Can you imagine my humiliation if that had happened?

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  23. Oh that fire looks so warm and cozy.
    I remember all those westerns you mentioned. I used to watch them all with my dad when I was young.
    There was another show, Cheyenne with Clint Walker that was my favorite.

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  24. This post is making me strangely drowsy. :-)

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  25. That day sounds tailor made for a real honest to goodness wood fire. Love the look and feel of a wood fire. We do have a fireplace but I am the only one here who likes a fire and so guess who gets to bring in all the wood needed, get it all started, and feed it? I have a hard time opening up a hole in the roof with temperatures that a very cold so confine my fires to late fall and early spring. The weather here has not been bad temps in the 40's mostly for the days and down in the low 30's at night. The big storm that swept from the west to the east coast went just south of here so we only got a little snow from it which made everything look pretty and white. That's the best way to have snow I think-----no shovels involved!

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  26. We don't have a fireplace, but I would sure like one. Especially on these cold days!

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  27. We like the old westerns also! Nice cozy fire!

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  28. Hi There, I saw you at Hiawatha house, saying you wouldlike to change the look of your blog so I came for a sticky beak :)
    Your bonnets are gorgeous, as are your doggos and your blog matches your house!

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  29. We LOVE old westerns!!! I bet I could swap stories with you about Gunsmoke and all the rest. I like the movie you mentioned too. Your fireplace is charming-your home is beautiful. Love those fur babies!

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  30. I have to tell you a funny story about the movie Westward the Women. When our daughter was small, our favorite thing to do was for me to fix a large pot of stew..or some other favorite food, and then we would watch a movie as we ate. We would do this at least once a week. The movie Westward the Women came on and my daughter loved it. It is still one of our favorites. Anyhow, she could not wait for her daddy to come home from work to tell him all about this great movie. He came in , and she proclaimed, "Dad!, Mom and I watched the best movie ever! It is called ......."The Wayward Women Go West!! Of course my husband and I just almost fell down laughing. Your fireplace is so cozy and welcoming and to see everyone in warm slumber is sweet. A cold front is to hit us tomorrow, hope this finds you staying warm!

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    1. That is so funny. Children really do say the cutest things. Sounds just like something one of my daughters would have said. Thank you for sharing that story.

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  31. It was nice to have the fireplace and enjoy the heat. Ellie sure looks comfortable taking a nap. I like "Gunsmoke," too. Stay warm and I hope the weather improves.

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  32. To my mind, when the weather is cold and miserable there is nothing as cozy as sitting in front of a REAL fire :)

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  33. Oh my goodness, Melba! I almost felt the warmth from your fireplace. There's nothing like a real fire to warm the soul. I am allergic to smoke so we can't have a fireplace but I can dream!

    Grace & Peace,
    Pam

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  34. Oh that fireplace looks so cozy and inviting. I would enjoy sitting visiting with you.
    I like Westerns too.
    xx oo
    Carla

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  35. Oh sweet friend there is nothing more cozy than a fire. Planning on building one this weekend cause it is to be below zero here. Love those old black and white movies. We just watched "To Kill A Mockingbird". Great movie. Take care - hugs!

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  36. Boa tarde. Parabéns pelo seu trabalho e matéria. Aqui no Rio de Janeiro, hoje 40 graus, confesso que não sei como o meu organismo reagiria a baixas temperaturas. Bom início de semana com muita saúde e paz.

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  37. How warm and contented all are. Such a nice room and fireplace. Reading a lot here. Will watch "the haunting" 1963. Re runs of Monk and Newhart are what mostly I see in the evening. Feeling too lazy these winter days and giving into it.

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  38. Read about Cougar HERE.

    Feel free to delete this. Some people don't like links, but I thought you might enjoy reading about him. i wrote this down here in a different post till it would not be there for everyone to scroll through.

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  39. Your fire and living room are so cozy and inviting. Love a good fire.

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